Garden of Forgotten Souls

The Forgotten Path IV

Turning back to Lily, he had imploring eyes. "That's why I need your help, Lily. You have a connection to Eldoria and a sensitivity to its memories. Perhaps, together, we can unlock the secrets of my past.".

Lily had a flash of will even though she was still in astonishment at the meeting. Though she had always been captivated by the wonders of nature, this was much different from her field of employment. This was an opportunity to assist a lost soul and reveal a riddle.

"I'll do my best, Ethan," she steely-voiced. "I'm just a Botanist; I'm not sure how much I might use."

Ethan grinned, his surreal qualities gleaming with hope. "Your being here is not accidental, Lily," he added. "Eldoria drives people together and weaves destinies; trust your instincts; the garden will guide you."

Grey, the lecturer watching their conversation closely, moved forward. His voice was indeed strange. "Eldoria has many secrets; your arriving, Lily, seems to have stirred something within its depths."

He turned to face Ethan, and his keen eyes urged inquiries. He said, pointing to the massive manacle, "holds a strong connection to the garden's history. It may offer clues to your past. If your memories are truly fragmented, then perhaps we can start by exploring the place where you first appeared—the oak tree."

Ethan nodded, a flimsy expectation glittering in his eyes. Whispering, "The oak tree..." his gaze followed the elderly creature. "I get drawn to it, a feeling of familiarity."

Driven now with a fresh aim, the three-headed for the oak tree. Its large, ancient, twisted trunk seemed to emanate unseen power. Lily experienced tingling as they got closer and improved her awareness of the whispers.

Professor Grey pulled a small silver knife with a moonlit blade from the pocket of his coat. Kneeling at the tree's base, he gently cut a bit in its bark. A sap drop poured forth, glittering with a beautiful brightness.

"This sap," he said, "holds the core of the oak's memories. We could unlock some of Ethan's forgotten past using its energy."

He turned to stare at Lily. "Place your hand on the tree, Lily," he said quietly. "Your relationship with Eldoria should direct your energies; let the memories pass through you."

Lily halted. Her pulse was racing with a mix of exhilaration and fear. She closed her eyes, laid her hand on the rough bark, and focused on the murmurs all around her.

Her force concentrated, and the oak tree appeared to come alive. Its branches quaked, leaves ruckled, and the sap burnt more vividly. Lily's ideas were a flurry of fragments from Ethan's past.

She first saw him laughing and playing in a sunny meadow, a small child. She adored him like a young man, seeing a beautiful woman shining in his eyes. The pictures are finally dark and horrible. She saw a brilliant fire, a huge fight, and a dreadful betrayal.

Pulling her hand away from the tree, Lily gasped. Her breath ran out, and when the sights stopped, she grew afraid. Ethan stared at her; her ghostly shape danced with a mix of doubt and suffering.

Her voice shaking, she stammered, "I saw... I saw glimpses of your past". Still, it's all somewhat broken and ambiguous.

Ethan's eyes went wide with hope against the darkness of his suppressed memories. Voiced urgently, he said, "Tell me what you saw."

Anxiety crept across the clearing as Lily described the destroyed photos. The wind's murmurs grew mournful, and the oak tree seemed to quiver as if the secrets that had been exposed weighed it down.

Professor Grey's face constricted, and his eyes darkened with awful intent. "It seems Ethan's past is more troubled than we anticipated," he added sombrely. "But the truth, however painful, must be unearthed; we must keep this road open wherever it leads us."

They left the oak tree behind with a fresh sense of relevance as they descended further into the starry garden. The road ahead was unknown, dangerous, and marred by fading memories. Lily's links to Eldoria and her developing relationship with Ethan, however, helped her be ready for the challenges ahead.